Jul 24, 2023 Governance & Priorities Committee

[1. Opening Statement]

[00:00:04]

AND I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, JULY 24TH, 2023 TO ORDER, AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.

FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.

WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THE AGENDA?

[2. Approval of the agenda.]

NO, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? SEEING NONE.

[4. A memorandum regarding whether to dispose of two substandard parcels located at the rear of Lot 30, Block 48, Plan 4696 (5226 53 Street).]

SO A RESIDENT HAS APPLIED TO PURCHASE PART OF TWO ODDLY SHAPED VACANT LOTS THAT ARE LANDLOCKED BEHIND THEIR HOME.

SO NEIGHBORS, OF COURSE, IN THIS AREA WERE ENGAGED TO SEE IF THEY ALSO HAD A SHARED INTEREST AND TO EXPRESS WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUY A PORTION.

SO WHAT RESULTED FROM THAT IS THREE NEIGHBORS EACH HAVE AN INTEREST IN THESE ODDLY SHAPED SUBSTANDARD VACANT LOTS WHICH ARE LANDLOCKED IN BEHIND THEIR HOMES. SO CITY STAFF PROPOSED A DIVISION OF THE VACANT LAND IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER AS POSSIBLE THAT OPTIMIZES THE USE OF THE LANDS FOR EACH OF THOSE NEIGHBORS.

THE PURCHASE PRICE.

OF COURSE, IF COUNCIL DOES APPROVE, SELLING THESE LANDS TO THE NEIGHBORS WOULD BE BASED ON THE APPRAISED MARKET VALUE FOR THE SIZES THAT EACH OF THEM ARE PROPOSING TO RECEIVE , AND OF COURSE, AS COUNCIL KNOWS, LAND DISPOSAL DOES NEED TO BE DONE BY BYLAW AND ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS DISPOSING ON OF THESE LOTS AS SHOWN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. DISCUSSION.

COUNCILLOR. MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE TO ME, AND JUST OUT OF FOR INFORMATION IN A PROCESS LIKE THIS, DO ALL THREE PROPERTY OWNERS NEED TO AGREE OR IS IT SORT OF UP TO THE CITY TO CREATE WHAT THEY DEEM TO BE AN EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE DIVISION? MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAD PROPOSED A SPLIT AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE SEEN THAT AND AGREED.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE CAN SPEAK TO THE PROCESS, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT USED AND WORKING WITH THEM.

GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL ADJOINING OR ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

SOMETIMES 1 OR 2 WANT TO BE INVOLVED.

IN THIS CASE ALL THREE WERE, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE EACH OF THEM GETS TO BENEFIT.

THEY LOOK AT THEIR PROPERTY, THEY DETERMINE WHAT MAYBE THEY WANT OR NEED OR CAN AFFORD AND WE TRY TO DO A DIVVY A LOT CREATION TO DIVVY UP THE PROPERTY TO MEET THEIR NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS.

SO AGAIN, THIS CASE, LUCKILY ALL THREE PARTICIPATED, SO WE'RE ABLE TO BENEFIT ALL THREE OWNERS.

THANK YOU. OKAY, AWESOME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

ANYTHING FURTHER.

SEEING NONE.

SO HEARING GENERAL SUPPORT, WE WILL BRING THAT FORWARD AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS MONDAY, AUGUST 28TH AT 7:00 PM.

[5. A memorandum regarding Second and Third Reading of By‐law No. 5063, a by‐law authorizing the City of Yellowknife to dispose of the portion of Lot 3, Block 500, Plan 4224 (adjacent to the Fieldhouse) through a lease agreement for a term of five (5) years, with an option to renew for a further five (5) years.]

SO THIS ITEM HAS KIND OF BEEN SPLIT OVER TWO COUNCILS.

THE LAST COUNCIL STARTED LOOKING AT IT AND WAS IN GENERAL SUPPORT OF IT.

SOME ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF HAD TO HAPPEN THOUGH, BUT BEFORE WE COULD GET TO THE SECOND AND THIRD READING, WHICH IS WHY IT'S NOW CARRIED OVER TO THIS COUNCIL, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE THE ITEM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

ABSOLUTELY. SO COMING UP AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING, PROBABLY THE ONE IN AUGUST WILL BE THE SECOND AND THIRD READING.

AS CHAIR ALTY HAS POINTED OUT, AND THIS IS FOR A BYLAW THAT WOULD APPROVE LAND DISPOSAL OF A FIVE YEAR LEASE OF A PORTION OF CITY OWNED LAND TO LAHEY CONSULTING. THIS LAND IS BEHIND THE FIELD HOUSE.

IT'S ADJACENT TO THE ARCTIC INDIGENOUS WELLNESS FOUNDATION'S HEALING CAMP, AND OUR INTENTION TODAY AT GPC IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH SOME CONTEXT FOR WHAT SECOND AND THIRD READING WHEN IT COMES FORWARD WILL INCLUDE AND WILL MEAN.

GIVEN THAT OF COURSE IT WAS PREVIOUS COUNCIL THAT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF DELIBERATING ON A MEMO AND THEN UNDERTAKING FIRST READING, WE WANTED YOU TO HAVE TIME TO DIGEST THIS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE LEASE.

LAHEY CONSULTING HAS APPLIED FOR THIS.

LAHEY CONSULTING OPERATES BUSH KIDS, WHICH IS A SEASONAL BUSINESS THAT PROVIDES ON THE LAND LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND IT'S BEEN OPERATING AT THIS SITE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEY ARE SEEKING TO LEGITIMIZE THEIR USE AT THIS TIME.

[00:05:03]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. DISCUSSION FROM COUNCILLORS.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH, JUST A QUESTION AND THEN A COMMENT.

YEAH. THE PRESENTATION FROM BUSH KIDS IN SEPTEMBER 2022 WAS AWESOME.

JUST A QUESTION. SO THE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THAT POINT ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS A BUSINESS AND THEN NEEDED SOME MORE SORT OF REGULATORY STEPS FROM STAFF.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE SETTLED ON TEMPORARY COMMERCIAL RECREATION.

SO BUSH KIDS WILL STILL STAY AS A BUSINESS, NOT EDUCATIONAL.

THAT'S JUST TO CONFIRM THAT'S THE CASE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT? CORRECT, THAT'S THE CASE, AND HAVE WE SETTLED ON A LEASE FEE? I THINK THERE WAS LIKE AN ESTIMATE AT THAT TIME.

HAS THAT SORT OF BEEN SOLIDIFIED? MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE TO RESPOND.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

THE LEASE IS OUTLINED IN THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW, SO IT'S A COMMERCIAL LEASE.

SO IT WOULD BE $2,000 A YEAR PLUS AN ENVIRONMENTAL DEPOSIT.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THAT MEMO.

THANK YOU. AWESOME.

THANK YOU. SO JUST A COMMENT.

YEAH, WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY THEIR PARTICULAR GOALS OF MAKING LAND BASED LEARNING ACCESSIBLE TO ALL THESE LAND BASED PROGRAMS ARE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE, AND I KNOW SUCH PROGRAMS IN YELLOWKNIFE HAVE SORT OF COME AND GONE.

SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THIS IS SORT OF BEING SOLIDIFIED.

AS A CHILD, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO ATTEND ONE SCHOOL ON THE SITE OF A KID'S SUMMER CAMP AND ANOTHER THAT INCLUDED ONE FULL DAY A WEEK OF LAND BASED LEARNING.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.

IT WAS AND IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE TO ME IN THE FORMATION OF WHO I AM.

SO I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO THAT BUSH KIDS APPROACH TRYING TO DO IT NOT NECESSARILY AS A BUSINESS, BUT TRY AND MENTOR AND TEACH AND INVOLVE THIS IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM IS AMAZING.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO BUSH KIDS FOR ALL THE ALL THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE PROGRAM, AND THANKS TO CITY STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS ALONG AND EXCITED TO SEE THIS COME FORWARD IN AUGUST.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

WE WILL BRING THAT BYLAW THEN FORWARD.

SECOND READING. SECOND AND THIRD READING.

SORRY TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS MONDAY, AUGUST 28TH AT 7:00 PM.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING THE MINUTES OF THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE FOR JUNE 13TH, 2023.

[6. A memorandum regarding the Minutes of Heritage Committee meeting of June 13, 2023.]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

JUST TO NOTE, COUNCILLOR COCHRANE AND MYSELF AND THE MANAGER DID MEET WITH THE PROPONENTS LAST WEEK TO REVISE THEIR DEVELOPMENT PERMITS, AND SO WE'LL BE HAVING A HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY TO REVIEW THE NEW PROPOSAL AND THEN WE'LL COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOLLOWING THAT. SO HOPING TO IF COMMITTEES, IF HERITAGE COMMITTEE IS IN AGREEMENT, WE WOULD COME FORWARD TO A SPECIAL GPC ON AUGUST 8TH WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, BUT OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE.

SEEING NONE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THE POST OFFICE WAS A HERITAGE SITE, AND SO THERE'S PERHAPS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT ALL OUR OUR HERITAGE INVENTORY AND SEE IF, IF BUILDINGS REMAIN.

ALL HERITAGE BUILDINGS DO REQUIRE A MORE CUMBERSOME AND COMPLICATED DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, WHICH CAN BE A CHALLENGE, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUMMER WHEN YOU'RE RACING AGAINST CONSTRUCTION SEASON TO BE ABLE TO GET YOUR DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IN TIME SO YOU CAN GET THE WORK DONE IN TIME, BUT THAT'S A FUTURE DISCUSSION.

SO WITH THAT, THAT WAS JUST FOR INFORMATION.

[7. A discussion regarding MED patrols in downtown.]

SO COUNCILLOR FEQUET, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU.

MERCI, MADAM CHAIR.

I FIRST WANTED TO THANK OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY A KEY COMPONENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HELPING THE CITY TO RUN SMOOTHLY.

AT THE MAY 23RD, 2023 MEETING OF COUNCIL COUNCIL APPROVED THE FOLLOWING FOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, FOCUSING ON PEDESTRIAN AND INTERSECTION SAFETY TO ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION ACTIVITIES CONCERNING UNAUTHORIZED PARKING.

THREE. PRIORITIZING MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT, ENGAGEMENT AND VISIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE, AND FOUR INCORPORATING RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS

[00:10:02]

I WAS PARAPHRASING THOSE.

I RECOGNIZE THERE ARE ONGOING DISRUPTIONS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND TO RESIDENTS USING AND TRAVELING THROUGH OUR DOWNTOWN CORE, BOTH THROUGH MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF USING THE DOWNTOWN EVERY DAY AND FROM RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SHARED CONCERNS WITH ME.

I WANTED TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LATEST RCMP MONTHLY POLICING REPORT SEEMS TO INDICATE A TOTAL DECREASE IN TOTAL CALLS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE COMPARED TO THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR.

HOWEVER, CALLS RELATED TO MISCHIEF, BOTH DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND OBSTRUCTING PUBLIC ENJOYMENT ARE UP 20 AND 11% RESPECTIVELY.

MANY OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE AND ARE BEING DISCUSSED ARE OBVIOUSLY LONGER TERM IN NATURE TO ADDRESS OUR DOWNTOWN, AND SOME OF THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S CONTROL. YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS INCLUDE EXPANDING THE HOURS AND THE CAPACITY OF THE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM TO OPERATE 24/7 AND INCLUDE MEDICAL AND SOCIAL EXPERTISE ON BOARD. HAVING A PERMANENT SHELTER, HAVING A TERRITORIAL TREATMENT CENTER, ETCETERA.

SO THE PURPOSE OF ADDING THIS TO THE AGENDA WAS THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT OPTIONS ARE AT THE CITY'S DISPOSAL TO ASSIST IN THE NEAR TERM, BUT I DO KNOW THAT OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION HAS VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE IN THAT SPACE.

I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONFIRM WHAT PERCENTAGE OF MED'S TOTAL TIME IS SPENT IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY OWN HEAD AROUND WHETHER MED IS A TOOL WITHIN THE CITY'S CONTROL THAT WE CAN USE DIFFERENTLY OR IN A DIFFERENT WAY, OR EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF.

SO IN AN EFFORT TO ADVANCE THIS CONVERSATION, I'M HOPING THAT STAFF CAN ELABORATE ON JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST IS, DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF EVEN A ROUGH KIND OF BALLPARK ESTIMATE OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF MED'S TOTAL TIME IS SPENT IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND HOW THIS MIGHT COMPARE TO TIME SPENT DOWNTOWN IN PREVIOUS YEARS? THANKS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND SO CERTAINLY THE PERCENTAGE VARIES A LOT BASED ON THE WORKLOAD OF MED, AND MAYBE I'LL STEP BACK BY STARTING TO SAY THAT THE MANDATE OF OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION IS TO ENFORCE CITY BYLAWS, AND SO THE FRAMEWORK THAT IS USED BY MED AND BY ADMINISTRATION IN OVERSEEING THE WORK THAT IS DONE BY MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT IS THE MUNICIPAL BYLAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY, WHICH IS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, WHICH BASICALLY OUTLINES THAT THE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION HAS LIMITED RESOURCES, AND IN DEPLOYING THOSE LIMITED RESOURCES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THEY WILL BE PROACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LOOKING AT ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO THAT TYPICALLY WILL INVOLVE THINGS LIKE THEY'RE VERY ATTENTIVE AT SCHOOL ZONES AT IN THE MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS WHEN SCHOOL IS STARTING UP AND WHEN SCHOOL IS LETTING OUT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEY ARE CIRCULATING AROUND TO SCHOOLS.

AT THOSE TIMES, THEY FOLLOW UP ON SPEEDING, THEY FOLLOW UP ON PARKING VISIBILITY ISSUES WHERE THERE COULD BE VEHICLES PARKED THAT ARE BLOCKING ACCESS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES OR VIEWPOINTS. THEY WILL FOLLOW UP THEN AFTER THAT ON ANYTHING PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED BASED ON COMPLAINTS.

SO IF WE GET COMPLAINTS AROUND, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A COUPLE OF DOG BITE ISSUES IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.

WE'VE HAD UNSIGHTLY LANDS ISSUES, WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT RESPONDS TO.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT BYLAW ENFORCEMENT POLICY, THEN OF COURSE ARE THE ANNUAL PRIORITIES THAT ARE SET BY COUNCIL, WHICH COUNCILLOR FEQUET WENT THROUGH, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING A LOT OF THE WORKLOAD OF MED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PRESENT IN THE DOWNTOWN, THAT THEY'RE REALLY ACTIVE IN RECONCILIATION, THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE THE VEHICULAR EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS FOR PARKING, ENFORCING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND CERTAINLY LOOKING AT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT TYPICALLY DRIVE WHAT THEY DO.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WORKLOAD OVER, WE DID A LITTLE BIT OF ANALYSIS FROM JUNE 1ST TO JULY 15TH, AND SO IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THE MED OFFICERS AND OF COURSE, LIKE ALL STAFF THEY ARE, SOMETIMES THEY'LL BE OFF SICK.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME STAFF THAT ARE TAKING VACATION TIME, BUT OF THE TIME OF THE OFFICERS SPENT, THERE WERE 15 HOURS SPENT ON A BIKE PATROL, 38 HOURS SPENT ON FOOT PATROL IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND ON VARIOUS TRAILS AROUND TOWN, AND THAT'S BY OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, TWO AND THREE.

NOW, OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, ONE WHO ARE PARKING ATTENDANT OFFICERS, THEY SPEND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEIR TIME IN THE DOWNTOWN CHECKING PARKING METERS, CHECKING FOR LEGALITY OF PARKING, AND THEY SPEND ABOUT 348 HOURS IN FROM JUNE 1ST TO JULY 15TH IN THE DOWNTOWN.

I'M A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO PUT PERCENTAGES BECAUSE PERCENTAGES CAN VARY FROM MONTH TO MONTH DEPENDING ON THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE ASKED TO RESPOND TO. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE QUITE A NUMBER OF MORE THAN USUAL IN TERMS OF DOG ISSUES IN JUNE AND JULY THAT WERE

[00:15:06]

THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL DOG BITE AND DOG CRUELTY COMPLAINTS THAT, OF COURSE, TAKE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES IN DEALING WITH.

SOMETIMES I THINK IN ONE CASE OF THE DOG BITE, THERE WERE TWO OFFICERS THAT WERE REQUIRED FOR STAFF SAFETY.

SO THAT OF COURSE WILL DRIVE SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON WHEN COMPLAINTS OF A SERIOUS NATURE LIKE THAT COME FORWARD.

SO TO HAVE A SORT OF A SET AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE, THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT OFFICERS SPEND IN THE DOWNTOWN DOES VARY AND IT DOES VARY BASED ON WORKLOAD, BUT WHAT WE CAN SAY IS THAT OUR PARKING ATTENDANTS OFFICERS IN UNIFORM ARE DOWNTOWN ALL THE TIME AND THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF THE OUTREACH THAT WE REALLY LOOK FOR THEM TO DO.

THAT IS PART OF THE RECONCILIATION MANDATE THAT HAS BEEN SET BY COUNCIL.

SO ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE IN THE DOWNTOWN TO SAY HELLO, BE A PRESENCE IN UNIFORM AS PART OF WHAT OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO, OUR MED ONES.

BUT THEN IN ADDITION, WE HAVE OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, TWO AND THREE, THAT ARE ALSO SPENDING TIME IN THE DOWNTOWN MEETING WITH PEOPLE, TRYING TO FORGE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT CAN HELP BALANCE OUT ANY OF THE POTENTIALLY I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT, LACK OF A BETTER WORD, BAD BEHAVIOR THAT MAY BE GOING ON IF WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE IN THE DOWNTOWN AND ARE SEEN AS BEING A RESOURCE THAT HOPEFULLY THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A STATE OF CRISIS, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DOWNTOWN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO DOES ADMINISTRATION BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY CAPACITY FOR POTENTIALLY INCREASING FOOT OR BIKE PATROLS, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM THAT JUNE TO MIDDLE OF JULY PERIOD YOU MENTIONED? IS THERE ANY WIGGLE ROOM, ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES, ANYTHING CREATIVE THAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OR THE DURATION OF FOOT AND BIKE PATROLS AMONGST THE VARIOUS OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES THAT, MED, OF COURSE, HAS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND I GUESS I WILL I WILL ASK THE QUESTION TO WHAT END? AND IF IT IS A UNIFORMED PRESENCE IN THE DOWNTOWN, CERTAINLY WE HAVE, AS I SAID, MONDAY TO FRIDAY FROM EIGHT TILL FIVE.

WE'VE GOT OUR PARKING ATTENDANTS IN UNIFORM WHO ARE ALL ALWAYS WALKING IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE.

WE DO HAVE OUR OTHER MEDS, TWOS AND THREES AS WELL.

A LOT OF IT, OF COURSE, DEPENDS ON WHAT THEIR ABILITIES ARE, AND WHAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE IS A LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION FROM RESIDENTS.

IF, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE WERE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THERE WAS PERHAPS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE OPENLY DRINKING LIQUOR IN THE DOWNTOWN, AND IF THE EXPECTATION WAS, GOSH, HOW COME MED OFFICERS AREN'T DEALING WITH THIS? THERE ARE LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF THE AUTHORITY THAT MED OFFICERS HAVE.

SO WE REALLY WANT TO BE MINDFUL WHEN WE ARE DEPLOYING THEM.

TO WHAT EXTENT CAN THEY INTERVENE? TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THEY A PRESENCE THAT CAN ACTUALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE MAY BE SEEING OR THAT PEOPLE MAY BE RAISING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHERS ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AROUND THE DOWNTOWN? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT OUR MED OFFICERS, THEY CAN ARE VERY FREE TO ENFORCE ON CITY PROPERTY AND CITY FACILITIES.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S BAD BEHAVIOR HAPPENING IN THE YELLOWKNIFE PUBLIC LIBRARY OR AT THE ILLINOIS VISITOR CENTER.

MED OFFICERS CAN BE GOING IN THERE TO SAY, HI, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY ASK PEOPLE TO LEAVE THOSE FACILITIES.

THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE SAME POWERS WHEN IT COMES TO OTHER FACILITIES OR IF THERE'S BAD BEHAVIOR GOING ON IN THE DOWNTOWN OVERALL RELATED TO THINGS LIKE DRINKING.

SO THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON WHAT OUR MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CAN DO WHEN THEY ARE ON THE STREET.

AND IF THEY ARE OUT, DOES THAT RAISE THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATION THAT THEY WILL BE DEALING WITH, THINGS LIKE OPEN DRINKING OR CRIMINAL CODE INFRACTIONS THAT MAY BE HAPPENING? THANK YOU. SO OF THE FOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, DOES ADMINISTRATION BELIEVE THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN DO TO PRIORITIZE VISIBILITY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE? SO THAT'S THE THIRD OF THE FOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES APPROVED EARLIER IN MAY.

WHEN I READ THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES, I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WITH THE WORD PRIORITIZING IN IT.

SO MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

IT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T LOOK AFTER THE OTHER ITEMS, OF COURSE, BUT SO I JUST WANT TO CHECK IN IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES WE CAN DO AND IF THAT IS BEING PRIORITIZED, THAT VISIBILITY IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE.

JUST TO NOTE, IT'S NOT.

OF THE FOUR.

IT'S NOT SAYING THAT IT'S THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

IT'S PRIORITIZING IT IN RELATION TO ALL THE OTHER BYLAWS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROACTIVELY ENFORCE VERSUS THESE OTHER ONES.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, THAT IT WAS PART OF THE TOP FOUR, WHICH ARE ALSO BEING BALANCED AGAINST THIS PRIORITY

[00:20:07]

THEY CONTINUE TO BE THE ONES ENFORCING PARKING AND BEING A PRESENCE ON THE STREET AT ALL TIMES, BUT DEFINITELY IN THE SUMMER WE HAVE MORE PRESENCE FROM OUR MEDS, TWOS AND THREES AS WELL. SO THE STATISTICS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO COUNCILLOR FEQUET DEMONSTRATE THE RANGE OF THINGS THAT MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE DOING DURING JUNE 1ST TO JULY 15TH.

IT IS A RANGE OF THINGS AND SOME OF THEM ARE PUBLIC SAFETY FOCUSED.

SOME OF THEM ARE RESPONDING TO CALLS.

SO IF WE WERE TO SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TIME, THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE SEEKING TO BE ON FOOT PATROLS IN THE DOWNTOWN, THAT COULD, OF COURSE, BE IMPACTED BY CALLS THAT COME IN OF A COMPLAINT NATURE THAT ARE REQUIRING THE ATTENTION OF MED OFFICERS LIKE DOG BITES, LIKE SOMETHING TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY IN ANOTHER PART OF TOWN.

SO IT'S A BIT OF A BALANCING ACT.

WE'RE TRYING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE VISIBLE ON THE DOWNTOWN CORE, VISIBLE TO PEOPLE, VISIBLE TO RESIDENTS WHO MAY BE, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A PRESENCE OF MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN THAT'S TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS DOING THEIR BEST TO BE GOOD CITIZENS WITHIN THE POWERS, OF COURSE, THAT MED HAS.

SO IT CAN VARY, BUT AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO SAY WE'D SET A TARGET FOR INCREASED HOURS ON THE STREET, THAT OF COURSE, WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE KINDS OF CALLS THAT COME IN THAT MED HAS TO RESPOND TO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND YEAH, THE REASON FOR THE QUESTIONS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO JUST MAKE A CHANGE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE STARTING FROM, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MEASURE THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE.

SO I FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT, AND THAT IS WHY I WAS ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT KIND OF THAT PERCENTAGE OF THE FOOT AND BIKE PATROLS TO TRY TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MUCH OF THEIR TOTAL TIME, BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER OF CALLS TO THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT DON'T AREN'T ASSOCIATED NECESSARILY WITH A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION.

I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS.

ARE THEY ALL FULL OR DO WE HAVE ANY VACANCIES THERE? AND IF VACANCIES, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THOSE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

VACANCIES ARE A PART OF LIFE THESE DAYS, UNFORTUNATELY, I SAY GRIMLY, I WILL ASK MITCH ROWLAND, OUR MANAGER OF MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT, TO SPEAK TO OUR CURRENT STAFF COMPLEMENT. YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

SO ALL OFFICER POSITIONS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY FILLED, THERE IS ONE CLERK POSITION THAT IS VACANT DUE TO RETIREMENT, BUT WE'RE FILLING THAT, BUT ALL OFFICER POSITIONS ARE CURRENTLY FILLED. THANK YOU.

YEAH. SO WHEN I HAD INITIALLY ASKED FOR THIS TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA, I MEAN, I WASN'T SURE IF IT WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY A MOTION OR NOT.

I'M STILL UNCLEAR OF WHAT ALTERNATIVES MAY BE WITHIN OUR CONTROL AND WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN THE KIND OF SHORTER TERM OR NEAR FUTURE.

SO I FEEL LIKE I'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR NOW AND INTERESTED IN WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO SAY OR IF THERE'S MORE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO INFORM THIS CONVERSATION, OR IF WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR POWER THAT WE CAN TO HELP ADDRESS THE BAD BEHAVIOR AS YOU AS YOU COINED IT. THANKS.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST A QUESTION.

SO THE PROACTIVE VERSUS KIND OF COMPLAINT BASED SO THE PROACTIVE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED WERE LIKE SPEEDING, PARKING, SCHOOL ZONES.

THESE APPEAR TO ME TO BE VERY CAR FOCUSED.

SO IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROACTIVELY OR PRIORITIZE KIND OF MORE PEDESTRIAN DOWNTOWN BEHAVIOR OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

YEAH. SO THE CURRENTLY THE ENFORCEMENT BYLAW FOCUSES ON BEING PROACTIVE ON ANYTHING TO DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND SO THAT IS FOCUSING ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, PARTICULARLY IN SCHOOL ZONES, TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE ABLE TO GET OFF SCHOOL BUSSES OR WALK TO WORK AND BE CLOSE TO SCHOOL AND CROSS SAFELY.

MED IS NOT PREDICTABLE IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY GO IN ANY GIVEN DAY, BUT TYPICALLY THAT EARLY MORNING, 8:15 TO 9:00 AND 3:00 TILL 3:45 TIMELINES ARE TAKEN UP BY BEING AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

[00:25:03]

I'LL ASK MR. ROWLAND IF HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DONE PROACTIVELY RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY THAT MED OFFICERS UNDERTAKE REGULARLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO YEAH, WE'RE PROACTIVE IN AREAS OBVIOUSLY RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY THAT COULD BE TRAFFIC OFFENSES LIKE WAS MENTIONED, SPEEDING IN SCHOOL ZONES, THAT KIND OF THING.

STOP SIGNS, INTERSECTION SAFETY, BUT IT ALSO MEANS THINGS LIKE DOGS AT LARGE ON [INAUDIBLE] LAKE TRAIL FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE DEAL WITH OR IN OTHER TRAILS ACROSS CITY DOGS AT LARGE, BUT THAT WAS A BIG THING LAST SUMMER AND WE'RE SEEING A BIT OF THE SUMMER AS WELL AND OTHER AREAS INCLUDE EVEN IF IT'S LIKE SCHOOL TALKS FOR BIKE SAFETY WITH KIDS.

SO BIKE SAFETY IS A BIG THING FOR US.

UM, AND THEN OTHER AREAS LIKE MS. BASSI-KELLETT SAID, LIKE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INTERSECTION, SAFETY WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN CORE AND OTHER AREAS WHERE IT'S NOT SO MUCH WE'RE DEALING WITH BOTH THE TRAFFIC AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WALKING ACROSS THE ROAD AND ALSO VEHICLES THAT AREN'T YIELDING TO PEDESTRIANS BUT IN ALL KIND OF AREAS, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY.

THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING OUT PROACTIVELY LOOKING FOR ALL THESE PARKING COMPLAINTS THAT ARE COMING IN.

THOSE ARE, AS WE CAN SEE, MAJORLY COMPLAINT DRIVEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT PARKING ISSUES.

THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT ARE MORE FREQUENT THAN OTHERS THAT I'LL MENTION IS THE OLD TOWN PARKING LOT THE CORNER OF SCHOOL JOHN FRANKLIN AVE THAT'S AN ONGOING CONCERN AND ISSUE, MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTLY PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED, BUT IT'S A PROACTIVE ONE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

SO THANK YOU. AWESOME.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GUESS MORE OF A COMMENT IN GENERAL.

YOU KNOW, IF THE PROACTIVE MANDATE IS PUBLIC SAFETY, WE'RE HEARING LOUD AND CLEAR THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE DOWNTOWN.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TOOLBOX IN CURRENTLY IS MAYBE LIMITED TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MAYBE IN THE FUTURE SOME OPTIONS OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ENGAGE THAT BECAUSE THE GENERAL FEELING IS THE PUBLIC FEELS UNSAFE DOWNTOWN.

SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO PROACTIVELY ADD THAT TO OUR LIST VERSUS SPEEDING TICKETS I THINK WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MED FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'VE DONE.

AS A PERSON WHO WORKS IN THE CENTER OF THE DOWNTOWN CORE, I HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN A FAR LARGER PRESENCE ANECDOTALLY THIS YEAR THAN I HAVE IN OTHERS, SO THAT IS GREAT.

A FEW QUESTIONS HERE.

ONE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW MED TWO AND THREE ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS DOWNTOWN? ARE WE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH HOMELESSNESS AND ALSO THROUGH BUSINESSES IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

I WILL ASK MR. ROWLAND TO RESPOND TO THIS, BUT JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT AROUND THE PRIORITIES.

IF I CAN SPEAK HISTORICALLY, MED DIDN'T HAVE THE MOST STELLAR REPUTATION.

IF I CAN DARE SAY THAT A FEW YEARS BACK THERE WAS SOME BAD FEELINGS ABOUT THE APPROACH THAT WAS BEING TAKEN, THAT IT WAS A PSEUDO MILITARY KIND OF APPROACH OF AUTHORITARIAN, PULLING PEOPLE OVER RANDOMLY AND PERHAPS SOME BAD BEHAVIOR IN THERE THAT WAS ALLEGED AS WELL, AND SO IT'S BEEN A VERY DELIBERATE MOVE BY THE CITY TO TAKE A MORE COMMUNITY FRIENDLY STANCE TO ENSURE THAT RECONCILIATION IS PART OF WHAT THE PRESENCE OF MED MEANS DOWNTOWN.

SO THAT IS ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE HANGING OUT IN THE DOWNTOWN PART OF OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION, PART OF OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, PERHAPS ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE TO GET TO KNOW THEM, TO BE ABLE TO BE SEEN AS POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY IN ONE WAY, BUT I GUESS POSITIONS OF RESOURCES AS WELL.

IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS THAT THEY CAN ASK AN MED OFFICER ABOUT WHERE TO GO TO GET X, Y, OR Z, TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE MAKE SOME PERHAPS SOME PRODUCTIVE CHOICES IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY AND WHEREWITHAL TO WANT TO DO THAT.

AS MED IS DOING THEIR JOB DOWNTOWN, I WILL PASS IT TO MR. ROWLAND TO SEE IF THERE ARE ENGAGEMENT WITH BUSINESSES.

I'M THINKING NOT SO MUCH, BUT I MIGHT BE VERY I MIGHT BE SURPRISED BY THIS JUST BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE PRESENCE OF MED IS TO BE ON THE STREETS CHECKING OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING OUT IN PUBLIC, BUT I WILL ASK MR. ROWLAND IF HE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH BUSINESSES.

THANK YOU. SO, YEAH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, WHETHER IT'S THE VULNERABLE POPULATION OR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T ENGAGE WITH BUSINESSES.

WE DO QUITE REGULARLY, WHETHER IT'S AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE OR OTHER ISSUE OR, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES WE'RE APPROACHED BY BUSINESSES AS WELL.

THEY SEND US AN EMAIL OR THEY CALL US FOR REQUESTS.

SO WE DO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH WITH SOME BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN.

OF COURSE, THAT'S WHERE IT MAKES SENSE FOR US, WHERE WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH ISSUES THAT THEY'RE WANTING REQUESTS FOR.

[00:30:03]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I AM CURIOUS WHETHER THE ADMINISTRATION HAS LOOKED INTO HAVING MED OFFICERS APPOINTED AS LIQUOR INSPECTORS BEFOREHAND IF WE HAVE, WHAT WERE THE DETAILS, THE PROS, THE CONS, THE HINDRANCES TOWARDS THAT MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

ABSOLUTELY. SO IN 2000, AS PART OF BUDGET 2017, COUNCIL AT THE TIME WANTED TO ALLOCATE $300,000 TO GO TOWARDS STAFFING COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICERS WHO WOULD BE APPOINTED UNDER THE LIQUOR ACT, AS WITH DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE OPEN DRINKING, AND SO WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE CITY, I SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THE LIQUOR ACT AND OVERSEEING THE LIQUOR ACT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF A MODEL COULD BE PUT INTO PLACE TO HAVE THAT DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY, AND THERE WAS QUITE AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT I WAS DOING WITH THE THEN DEPUTY MINISTER ON THIS, AND IT JUST DID NOT THE OPTIONS JUST WERE NOT THERE IN TERMS OF TRAINING LIABILITY, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH ENFORCEMENT.

SO IT WAS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD BE IF WE DID HAVE STAFF WHO WERE AUTHORIZED AND HAD THE AUTHORITY UNDER THE LIQUOR ACT TO BE ABLE TO SEIZE OPEN LIQUOR THAT WOULD THEN NEED TO BE TREATED AS EVIDENCE IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING.

WE WOULD NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO STORE THAT LIQUOR.

THERE'S QUITE A COMPLEX PROCEDURE THAT GOES WITH THAT LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT THAT AS THE CITY STARTED TO LOOK AT THAT AND UNPACK IT, WE WERE WE.

NO PUN INTENDED, WE FOUND IT VERY SOBERING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE GNWT WAS NOT WILLING TO GO DOWN THAT PATH WITH THE MUNICIPALITY AT THE TIME.

THEY JUST SAW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF ROOM FOR POTENTIAL, A LOT OF ROOM FOR THINGS TO GO SIDEWAYS, AND THAT WAS NOT FURTHER PURSUED, AND THE $300,000 THAT WAS ALLOCATED WAS REPROFILED AND REDIRECTED INTO OTHER THINGS.

SO IT DID NOT COME FORWARD AT THAT TIME.

THANK YOU. PERFECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY GOOD TO KNOW.

THE NEXT THE FINAL PART IS ONLY REALLY A COMMENT, AND IT'S MOSTLY DIRECTED TO ALL POTENTIAL TERRITORIAL CANDIDATES RUNNING IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION.

OUR TOOLKIT IS FULL AND OVERCAPACITY.

IF WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE DOWNTOWN CORE PROBLEMS HERE THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY, THEN THE GNWT NEEDS TO COME AND PLAY BALL WITH US HERE.

AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RCMP AND SEEING HOW WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED OUR OVERALL STRATEGIC DIRECTIVES, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO NEED TO COME HERE TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST US BY PROVIDING SOCIAL WORKERS AND NURSES ON THE STREETS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY FORMULATE THESE COMMUNITY SAFETY SQUADS THAT HAVE PROVEN TO WORK SO WELL IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. SO IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION, EXPECT TO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND SOME ANSWERS AROUND HOW YOU INTEND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH. SO JUST A COMMENT ON THE ISSUE.

IT'S AN OBVIOUSLY VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE AND PERHAPS THE MOST COMPLICATED FACED CURRENTLY BY US OR THE GNWT. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M IN FAVOR OF CREATIVE APPROACHES TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

YEAH, JUST TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS AND SEEING WHAT WORKS.

I APPRECIATE COUNCILLOR FEQUET BRINGING THIS UP AND THE DISCUSSION AND LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT THE CITY AND WE CAN ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN THE SHORT TERM.

LIKE THE CITY MANAGER SAID, ENGAGEMENT BY OFFICERS IS KEY.

GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, HAVING MED AS RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE FACING CRISIS OR FACING HOMELESSNESS.

I'M PRETTY WARY OF USING LIKE UNIFORMED OFFICERS AS A SOLUTION.

I THINK THAT JUST PUSHES THE PROBLEM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

IDEALLY, I'D ECHO EXACTLY WHAT COUNCILLOR COCHRANE SAID.

THIS IS A GNWT JURISDICTION AND MANDATE.

AN IDEAL SOLUTION IS COMBINED TEAMS, SOCIAL WORKER, MENTAL HEALTH WORKER, PARAMEDIC, PERHAPS A PLAINCLOTHES RCMP OFFICER IN TEAMS THAT CAN REALLY HAVE THE SKILLS TO DEAL AND BE RESOURCES ON THE SPOT I THINK IS CRUCIAL.

YEAH, AND DEFINITELY JUST LIKE COUNCILLOR COCHRANE SAID, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM CANDIDATES IN THE TERRITORIAL ELECTION ON ON WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO AND HOW THEY INTEND TO GET SOME MORE SPEEDIER RESPONSES FROM THE GNWT.

THE NEW HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY IS GREAT AND THERE'S SOME AWESOME STUFF IN THERE.

IT NEEDS REAL BUY IN, IT NEEDS MONEY.

IT NEEDS ACTUAL MEETINGS WITH THE CITY AND WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SHOWING THAT THE GNWT IS READY TO WORK COOPERATIVELY AND USE EXISTING RESOURCES MORE

[00:35:06]

BIGGER SORT OF LONGER TERM POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS I'D LOVE TO SEE EXPLORED LIKE BASIC GUARANTEED INCOME.

THERE'S A GREAT REPORT FROM ALTERNATIVES NORTH ON THAT.

THAT WOULD BE A GREAT DISCUSSION TO HEAR DURING THE TERRITORIAL ELECTION.

OUR RESOURCES OF THE CITY ARE DEFINITELY LIMITED, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE SORT OF TRYING TO HELP.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OUR RESPONSIBILITY THAT TO SAY THAT EVERYTHING IN THE CITY AND EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

SO JUST TO SUM UP, YEAH, WARY OF USING MED AS A SOLUTION, BUT IN FAVOR OF TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS, AND WHEN WE TRY DIFFERENT THINGS, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO HAVE A STATED GOAL AND TO HAVE WAYS OF MEASURING THE EFFECT OF THE CHANGES WE'RE TRYING. I THINK THAT'S CRUCIAL, AND IF IT'S ANECDOTAL, I UNDERSTAND THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE, BUT LET'S INTERVIEW A BUNCH OF PEOPLE AND COMPARE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, ANYTHING TO MEASURE WHAT WE'RE DOING.

SO IN FAVOR OF TRYING SOMETHING, MEASURING IT, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR WHAT MLA CANDIDATES HAVE TO SAY AND FROM SEEING SOME SWIFT, CONCRETE ACTION FROM THE GNWT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANKS, MAYOR ALTY. I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT AND SWEET BECAUSE COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN AND COUNCILLOR COCHRANE HAVE REALLY NAILED DOWN ON THE ELECTION FACTOR.

OUR JOB AND EVERY RESIDENT OF YELLOWKNIFE.

PLEASE LOBBY ADVOCATE ON THESE ISSUES BECAUSE YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE WHERE COUNCILLOR FEQUET IS COMING, BRINGING THIS TO THE TABLE, AND AS COUNCILLOR WARBURTON SAID, AROUND PEOPLE FEELING UNSAFE, IT'S BALANCING THAT FEELING WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT WE CAN DO, AND SO WHILE THE ADVOCACY PIECE, I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A PLUG NOW, WE'RE GETTING INTO BUDGET STREET OUTREACH.

IT'S SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO FUND AND SUPPORT, AND SO AS WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PERIOD AND ALSO CONTINUE OUR WORK GOING FORWARD AND NEXT YEAR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT MED PRIORITIZATION, AS COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, YOU HIGHLIGHTED AGAIN, WHAT I HAD BROUGHT UP AT THE TIME WAS VERY CAR FOCUSED STRATEGY, AND THAT'S NOT A KNOCK ON THE STRATEGY.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO THEN START THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE WANT TO FOCUS THINGS GOING IN THE FUTURE.

SO FOR ME, IT'S WE NEED TO ADVOCATE LIKE WE'VE NEVER ADVOCATED BEFORE, BUT ALSO REALLY FOCUSING ON WHAT ARE THOSE PRACTICAL THINGS WE CAN DO, AND THEN, AS WE'VE ALL SAID ON MANY OCCASIONS, START PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

SO I HOPE WE ALL KEEP THAT AT OUR FOREFRONT WHEN WE GET TO BUDGET SEASON.

SO THANKS, MAYOR ALTY.

THANK YOU.

ANYTHING? YEAH, FOR MYSELF, I LIKE THE EVIDENCE BASED DECISION AND I DO WANT TO SEE FOR EVIDENCE BASED DECISIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DECREASING CALLS FOR SERVICE.

SO IF THERE'S A MUNICIPALITY WHERE A UNIFORM WALKING AROUND WHO HAS NO ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY HAS BEEN SHOWN TO WORK, I'D LOVE TO SEE IT.

THE ISSUES THAT WE SEE DOWNTOWN ARE CRIMINAL CODE OFFENSES AND LIQUOR ACT INFRACTIONS, AND OUR MED DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO ENFORCE EITHER.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW THAT.

SO THEY'LL SEE AN OFFICER DOWNTOWN AND THEN COMPLAIN THAT MED ISN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

SO I DON'T SEE AN INCREASE IN MED OFFICERS WORKING.

IN FACT, I COULD SEE IT BACKFIRING IN THAT RESIDENTS ARE DISGRUNTLED WITH MED OFFICERS WALKING AROUND ALL DAY AND DOING NOTHING.

SO WHAT HAS WORKED IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IS ADDRESSING THE ROOT ISSUES.

SO HOUSING AND ADDICTION SUPPORT WHICH ARE AT THE FEDERAL AND TERRITORIAL LEVELS AND JUMP ON THE OLD ELECTION CAMPAIGN, TOO, WITH, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST TALKING TO THE MUNICIPALITY OR SOMEBODY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MUNICIPALITY OF SIOUX LOOKOUT, ONTARIO THIS MORNING AND THEY HAD 4500 CALLS FOR SERVICE.

SO THAT'S POLICE OR AMBULANCE FOR 19 PEOPLE.

THE PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUILT A 20 UNIT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT AND THERE WAS A 90% REDUCTION IN CALLS.

OR THERE'S THE CAHOOTS MODEL IN EUGENE, OREGON, WHICH IS A TWO PERSON TEAM CONSISTING OF A MEDIC AND A CRISIS WORKER WHO HAVE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD.

THEY HAVE THE TOOLS FOR NONVIOLENT RESOLUTION OF CRISIS SITUATIONS.

THIS MODEL IS ALSO USED WITH POLICE AND A SOCIAL WORKER THROUGHOUT CANADA, FUNDED BY THE PROVINCES OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE TRC REPORT COULD FINALLY IMPLEMENT TRC RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 21, WHICH IS LONG TERM AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR A HEALING CENTER IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, AND I LOVE TO SEE I LOVE SEEING WHAT THE ERASMUS'S ARE PUSHING AND I HOPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT THAT OR THE GNWT COULD REACTIVATE A SITUATIONAL TABLE WHICH WAS DISCONTINUED DURING COVID SITUATIONAL TABLES, ALSO KNOWN AS HUBS, HELP FRONTLINE STAFF FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH AND

[00:40:05]

THEY GET TOGETHER, THEY IDENTIFY A VULNERABLE PERSON OR PEOPLE AND COLLABORATIVELY AND RAPIDLY CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES BEFORE THEY EXPERIENCE A NEGATIVE OR TRAUMATIC EVENT.

SO SOMEONE CAN SAY, I WANT TO CALL A SITUATIONAL TABLE.

REALLY? SEEMS LIKE JOHNNY'S STRUGGLING.

HE'S HAD NINE INTERACTIONS WITH THE RCMP THIS WEEK.

BOOM, EVERYBODY COMES TOGETHER AND THEY FORMULATE A PLAN AROUND THAT PERSON.

SO THE BENEFITS OF THE SITUATION TABLE INCLUDE REDUCE LONG TERM DEMAND ON EMERGENCY AND POLICE RESOURCES, INCREASE VULNERABLE PEOPLE'S USE OF SERVICES, AND PROACTIVELY CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES, AND I KNOW COUNCIL WANTS TO PROACTIVELY DO SOMETHING WITHIN OUR MEANS OR A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO GET RESULTS AND SO SOMETIMES JUST SAYING LIKE, WE NEED TO LOBBY AND ADVOCATE FOR SOLUTIONS, LIKE I'VE MENTIONED IN LIKE OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ONLY HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER ROADS, SEWERS, WATER, FIRE, AMBULANCE, RECREATION FACILITIES AND GARBAGE, AND SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THOSE MEANS THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS THE SITUATION, BY ALL MEANS WE HAVE THE POWER, AND I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS TURN TO US.

THEY SEE US AT THE GROCERY STORE.

THEY WANT TO SEE RESULTS RIGHT AWAY, BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS WITHIN OUR CONTROL, AND I TAKE A LOOK AND REFERENCE THE RCMP'S MONTHLY REPORT THEY TALK ABOUT, IT'S AN ACRONYM THAT THEY USE AND THEY SHOULD REALLY SPELL IT OUT, BUT IS THE ODERA REPORT AND WHAT THAT ACRONYM IS, IS THE ONTARIO DOMESTIC ASSAULT RISK ASSESSMENT, AND SO LAST YEAR, 154 WOMEN WERE ASSAULTED IN OUR COMMUNITY BY THEIR PARTNER, AND ENOUGH THAT THE RCMP ACTUALLY DID AN ASSESSMENT TO SEE WHETHER THEY WERE AT RISK TO BE ASSAULTED AGAIN OR KILLED BY THEIR PARTNER, AND YOU GET A SCALE.

SO THIS ISN'T PERCEIVED SAFETY ISSUES.

THIS IS REAL SAFETY ISSUES, AND SO IT'S CHALLENGING, AGAIN, FROM A MUNICIPAL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT COULD WE DO TO ADDRESS THAT? AND THAT'S WHERE THE ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING COMES IN, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER SCHOOLS, JAILS, THE RCMP HOSPITALS, EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND A LOT OF OTHER AREAS, AND SO THIS FALL, AGAIN, I HOPE TO HEAR CANDIDATES TALKING ABOUT POLICY PROGRAMS AND LEGISLATION THAT'S EVIDENCE BASED THAT HAS ACTUALLY WORKED AND IS WORKING ACROSS NOT ONLY CANADA, BUT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, ACROSS THE WORLD AND I HOPE THAT THEY WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THE GNWT'S HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY AND ADEQUATELY FUNDING IT.

THERE'S BEEN SO MANY STRATEGIES OVER THE YEARS AND IT'S JUST A CASE OF LIKE ACTUALLY GETTING INTO IT AND IMPLEMENTING IT.

SO AGAIN, I DON'T SEE MED HAVING A BIG ROLE OR OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DECREASE CRIMINAL.

WELL, THEY CAN'T CRIMINAL CODE OFFENSES AND LIQUOR ACT INFRACTIONS AND THAT'S WHERE OUR TERRITORIAL AND FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS REALLY HAVE TO COME TO THE TABLE, AND PUT SOME SOME ACTION INTO PLACE WITH THAT.

ANY SECOND ROUND COMMENTS.

COUNCILLOR. MCGURK.

YEAH, I GUESS I JUST WANT, I HAD A COMMENT THAT WE DON'T REGULATE DRINKING.

WE CAN'T REGULATE DRINKING IN PUBLIC OR ANY OF THOSE SORT OF LIQUOR LAW LIKE LIQUOR ACT ISSUES, BUT AS COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN POINTED OUT, WE DO HAVE OTHER TOOLS, LIKE THE STREET OUTREACH IS SOMETHING THAT WE FUND.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A BIT BEFORE, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH CAPACITY AS THEY COULD OR SHOULD THAT THEY ARE THE VAN IS OFTEN NOT ON THE ROAD OR SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ON THE ROAD OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY AND AFFECTING OUR OWN SERVICES BECAUSE CALLS WILL GO OUT FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR PEOPLE THAT COULD JUST HAVE USED THE VAN AND SO I GUESS I DON'T HAVE A SORT OF CLEAR DIRECTION OR LIKE THOUGHT AROUND THIS, BUT IT SEEMS PRETTY EVIDENT TO ME THAT PEOPLE GET STUCK DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET TO THE SOBERING CENTER AND THEY'RE THERE LONGER AND THEY WILL FIND LIKE THERE'S ELEMENTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT ARE TIED TO THE FACT THAT WE AREN'T ACTUALLY ADDRESSING WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR HELP ADEQUATELY , AND SO I THINK THAT COULD BE ANOTHER LAYER HERE IS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY MED THAT NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT PIECE.

YEAH AN ON-STREET OUTREACH.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE FEDS AND THE GNWT PITCHED IN A DIME FOR THAT.

UM, BECAUSE IT IS AN INTERESTING MATHEMATICAL THING OF THEY ARE SPENDING THE MONEY BECAUSE EVERY AMBULANCE CALL IF THE PERSON IS INDIGENOUS IT'S NHIB WHICH IS THE FEDS AND THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT PAYING FOR.

[00:45:01]

I THINK IF WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER.

ANYTHING FURTHER ON SECOND ROUND SO COUNCILLOR FEQUET TO CLOSE.

MERCI, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANKS EVERYBODY FOR BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT YOUR ABOUT THIS COMPLICATED DISCUSSION.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK MED AGAIN FOR THEIR SERVICE AND HELPING TO CHANGE THE REPUTATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO BE MORE COMMUNITY FRIENDLY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF MED.

IT'S JUST ABOUT RECOGNIZING THAT THEY ARE ONE TOOL THE CITY HAS AT ITS DISPOSAL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE OBVIOUSLY NEED THE HELP OF GNWT TO REMOVE CONSTRAINTS IF WE WANTED OUR MED OFFICERS TO HAVE MORE AUTHORITY.

SO I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT AS A COUNCIL WE ARE ALL AWARE AND SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING WITH MED WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

I FULLY AGREE THAT THE BEST TOOLS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES ARE MORE WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE GNWT.

HOWEVER, THE OTHER OBVIOUS MECHANISM TO ME THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED WHERE THE CITY DOES HAVE SOME INFLUENCE AS A FUNDER, IS EXPANDING THE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM, BOTH ITS HOURS AND THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES, AND SO THAT WILL BE CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS ON MY BUDGET WISH LIST IN THE COMING MONTHS.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR STAFF'S TIME AND FOR COUNCILLORS' THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC.

THANK YOU.

IT'LL BE A GREAT DISCUSSION.

NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE CHATTING A BIT MORE ABOUT BUDGET 2024 AND ANYTHING THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO HAVE SCOPED OUT, AND OF COURSE FOR RESIDENTS, BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE SEND IN YOUR BUDGET 2024 WISH LIST TO BUDGET@YELLOWKNIFE.CA I BELIEVE THE EMAIL IS OR COUNCIL@YELLOWKNIFE.CA SO WE'LL SEE IT.

WITH THAT, THE LAST ITEM IS A MOTION IN-CAMERA.

[IN CAMERA]

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. WE CAN GO IN-CAMERA.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.